Just to keep everyone up to date on my oh so normal pregnancy......here is the latest.
I have been having some lovely pregancy complications for the last week or two. Namely,
Contractions
Repeated Temporary Blindness with white twinkling lights
Numbness and Tingling in both hands
So...I've been in close contact with my ob this week, talking to him multiple times on the phone and in his office on Wednesday and again today. He did ten thousand (at least it felt like that) tests including blood and urine tests, blood pressure checks, baby fetal monitoring, baby measurements, neurological exams and of course more bloodwork.
He said the contractions would happen from here on out and were nothing to worry about. Just to call him if I "have more than 4 an hour, cuz then you're having a baby".
On Wednesday he told me he was going to set me up with an opthamologist and a neurologist to check on the "blackouts" and the hand numbness. I saw the ob this morning at 9am for a shot and follow up tests from Wednesday. Then at 1, I went to the neurologist and at 3:15 I went to the opthamologist.
The neurologist did a thourough neurological exam and used needles and electrodes up and down both arms to test for carpel tunnel. He said I do indeed have "severe carpel tunnel" in both wrists, so much so that he was surprised my hands, the right one especially, are still functioning. He prescribed a wrist splint for the right arm and gave me cortizone shots (NOT FUN AT ALL) in both wrists.
Yes, for the ones who are keeping track, this is over 50 needles now that I have had in my body TODAY ALONE.
He said I have a good, but not guarranteed chance of it going away after delivery. Most pregnancy carpel tunnel goes away within 1-2 weeks of delivery but because mine is so severe and hereditary (thanks Mom), he is not going to tell me that will happen for me.
My sight has been going completely going black, both eyes, and seeing white twinkling lights, lasting for 3-5 seconds each time, but no headaches or dizziness. He said this was "troublesome" to him because if it was accompanied by headaches or dizziness or lasted for 5-15 minutes, it would just be associated with migranes and he would prescribe me a pill, but since mine did not fit that description that would not do.
The only other time he has seen this type of thing is when the person has a hole in their heart. So, he is setting me up for testing at the hospital, a total of three tests, for now. And bloodwork, of course. He said it might not be a hole in the heart, but obviously we want to rule that out first. He said if something alarming comes back or if he wants more testing done right away, he will call me. In the meantime, call him if they start to happen more frequently.
The good news is the opthamologist said he found no problems with my vision, both my glasses and contacts are the correct perscription and he (through MANY tests) found no eyesight problems.
Barring anything unusual (I know, I know, but I can hope)...
I see the ob again December 14.
I see the neurologist again January 14.
I see the opthamologist again December 21.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Our First Christmas Card
Grandma and Grandpa Abrams get the honor of being the first Christmas card to grace the kitchen window this year. Thanks Gma & Gpa, way to be early !!
Thanks Joe & Shannon
Cousins Joe and Shannon got us this adorable bright pink and orange baby gown.
It even has the fold over hands. I was just telling Mom Brill this weekend that we needed more of these. Thanks guys, we love it!
It even has the fold over hands. I was just telling Mom Brill this weekend that we needed more of these. Thanks guys, we love it!Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
96 days........................................
I just got finished reading Heather & Christopher's blog. I had to read all the entries, as before today I didn't know they had a blog. I had heard vague rumblings they were starting one but that was it. I had to hear from mom who heard from a letter to grandma...and so on.
Anywho, while I was reading their blog I was thinking of the need to update our blog. So I click the necessary buttons to open our blog and am immediately confronted with "only 96 days to go!" Like I am supposed to be joyful about this rather than be filled with a sense of dread and fear that I have 96 days left of this.
This being the facts below:
-If I go more than 12 minutes without admiring my bathroom walls it is a good 12 minutes.
-Our daughter seems to have inherited the restless side of Richard
-And she is obviously taking up wrestling at such a young age, what a prodigy
-Little Miss seems to never sleep, which might actually be the exclamation point to that 96 days left, unless you realize that means that
-I never sleep more than 20 minutes at a time...If I am lucky, and make it past the normal 12 minute bathroom break
-I have now outgrown several maternity tops. This is just thrilling.
-I am in constant fear that my water will break on the plane somewhere over Kansas and 150 angry passengers will not only throw their pretzels at me but it will be months and months after that before I can say "we're not in Kansas anymore".
-I know in my mind that everyone who has two legs and two feet has two ankles, but somewhere along this process, mine have left the premesis. I was told the other day that this process left me with "cankles" only to have that person be corrected by someone else to say "no, this is beyond cankles, those are thighs".
-I constantly have an awful taste in my mouth and feel something stuck in my throat, about which there is nothing the doctor can do and water, ironically, seems to only make it worse.
-I can no longer bend over. This has been true for awhile but was not as much of an issue when I could use my go go gadget toes to pick up whatever I needed.
-Today I had to have Richard paint my toenails. They are, we'll say, a work of art. He also enjoyed painting my foot and my leg...giving me "a friend" for when I get lonely. (Have no fear, I cannot reach my toes, but I can reach his upper arm. And he now has a friend also).
However, despite how the above lists may sound, we're estatic to be having a child. Well, not the one time act of having, I could do without that, but the lifelong process. And we can't wait til February 22, although it seems like its more than 96 days away, but should be so much less.
We have our first "birthing/parenting" class at the hospital on Monday. The first of about 12, seems like a little overkill, but who knows. We are supposed to take a doll or stuffed animal. I hope a 10 inch pig made with love by Gund will suffice in preparing Richard for diapering our daughter. I'm not buying the $50 version that is "lifelike" (yes, including the bodily secretions) when we will have our own version soon.
Richard's parents are coming on Wednesday, and possibly his aunt and uncle. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am. Not being at work since last Monday, I am more than ready for some entertainment. And I'm thinking they will be roped in to Christmas decorating also. Nothing better than that.
Anywho, while I was reading their blog I was thinking of the need to update our blog. So I click the necessary buttons to open our blog and am immediately confronted with "only 96 days to go!" Like I am supposed to be joyful about this rather than be filled with a sense of dread and fear that I have 96 days left of this.
This being the facts below:
-If I go more than 12 minutes without admiring my bathroom walls it is a good 12 minutes.
-Our daughter seems to have inherited the restless side of Richard
-And she is obviously taking up wrestling at such a young age, what a prodigy
-Little Miss seems to never sleep, which might actually be the exclamation point to that 96 days left, unless you realize that means that
-I never sleep more than 20 minutes at a time...If I am lucky, and make it past the normal 12 minute bathroom break
-I have now outgrown several maternity tops. This is just thrilling.
-I am in constant fear that my water will break on the plane somewhere over Kansas and 150 angry passengers will not only throw their pretzels at me but it will be months and months after that before I can say "we're not in Kansas anymore".
-I know in my mind that everyone who has two legs and two feet has two ankles, but somewhere along this process, mine have left the premesis. I was told the other day that this process left me with "cankles" only to have that person be corrected by someone else to say "no, this is beyond cankles, those are thighs".
-I constantly have an awful taste in my mouth and feel something stuck in my throat, about which there is nothing the doctor can do and water, ironically, seems to only make it worse.
-I can no longer bend over. This has been true for awhile but was not as much of an issue when I could use my go go gadget toes to pick up whatever I needed.
-Today I had to have Richard paint my toenails. They are, we'll say, a work of art. He also enjoyed painting my foot and my leg...giving me "a friend" for when I get lonely. (Have no fear, I cannot reach my toes, but I can reach his upper arm. And he now has a friend also).
However, despite how the above lists may sound, we're estatic to be having a child. Well, not the one time act of having, I could do without that, but the lifelong process. And we can't wait til February 22, although it seems like its more than 96 days away, but should be so much less.
We have our first "birthing/parenting" class at the hospital on Monday. The first of about 12, seems like a little overkill, but who knows. We are supposed to take a doll or stuffed animal. I hope a 10 inch pig made with love by Gund will suffice in preparing Richard for diapering our daughter. I'm not buying the $50 version that is "lifelike" (yes, including the bodily secretions) when we will have our own version soon.
Richard's parents are coming on Wednesday, and possibly his aunt and uncle. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am. Not being at work since last Monday, I am more than ready for some entertainment. And I'm thinking they will be roped in to Christmas decorating also. Nothing better than that.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
October
We did go to Great Wolf Lodge for our anniversary and we had a great time. I would definintly recommend it, especially in groups of more than one couple to split the cost of a room, or with a family with kids. It was awesome.
Richard is working all nights now. He leaves around 2 pm (sometimes earlier) and generally gets home about 10, sometimes as early as 8 or as late as 12. He likes the fact that they are generally more relaxed on the night shift and he gets along with most of the people there.
I have seen the doctor a couple of times. He has done lots of tests. I will find out on Thursday the results of last weeks bloodwork to determine the cause of lots of foot swelling. I also take the test for Gestational Diabetes this week. Hopefully I will pass that with flying colors. There was a (very slim) chance that I might have TB but thankfully the test for that came back negative. For now I'm supposed to keep doing as I have been: not doing much, staying off my feet and not wearing any shoes that 1)are heels, 2) are dress shoes or 3) lace up. Yes, I am as lost as you about what this leaves other than flip flops in the winter.
We ended up trading in my car. (The stratus that I bought brand new four years ago and the only new car I've ever bought.) But it wasn't actually as sad as I thought. We had been planning to trade it in sometime soon for a vehicle that had more room for a stroller and baby stuff, but not quite this soon. But when Mom and Dad were here, he noticed that the tires had another week left on them, if we were lucky. So we went ahead and switched out. We traded for a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, technically it is a "crossover SUV". I love it. It drives really nice, no different than the car really, and it has all the same features: power seats, six disc cd changer, auto stick, etc. Plus some new ones: memory seats, dual temperature controlls, an automatic (opening and closing) hatch, and my favorite of all, moveable foot pedals. The only thing I really miss is the automatic starter, but I've asked for that for Christmas. It has six bucket seats that all fold down seperately to be flat. Its great.
We have been working on Lillian's room a lot, changing it from just a guest room with a Red and Tan motif to a guest room/Lilly's room with a hot pink and orange motif. Richard has changed lots of the art on the walls and put up a set of fantastic mirrors. I just finished making some new curtains for the windows.
We are excited to have Richard's parents come down for Thanksgiving. It will be nice to entertain again, let alone at a holiday.
I got told on Wednesday that I am being let go from my job because they have decided after four months of working part time that they really don't want someone working part time. So its back to mac n cheese every night. lol. Not that that bothers me really. It was just a surprise at this time that we wern't really planning on. Oh well, it will all work out somehow.
I have put pictures of LIlly's room and the new car and even Great Wolf I think on our picture site, at http://picasaweb.google.com/StaceyBrill.
Richard is working all nights now. He leaves around 2 pm (sometimes earlier) and generally gets home about 10, sometimes as early as 8 or as late as 12. He likes the fact that they are generally more relaxed on the night shift and he gets along with most of the people there.
I have seen the doctor a couple of times. He has done lots of tests. I will find out on Thursday the results of last weeks bloodwork to determine the cause of lots of foot swelling. I also take the test for Gestational Diabetes this week. Hopefully I will pass that with flying colors. There was a (very slim) chance that I might have TB but thankfully the test for that came back negative. For now I'm supposed to keep doing as I have been: not doing much, staying off my feet and not wearing any shoes that 1)are heels, 2) are dress shoes or 3) lace up. Yes, I am as lost as you about what this leaves other than flip flops in the winter.
We ended up trading in my car. (The stratus that I bought brand new four years ago and the only new car I've ever bought.) But it wasn't actually as sad as I thought. We had been planning to trade it in sometime soon for a vehicle that had more room for a stroller and baby stuff, but not quite this soon. But when Mom and Dad were here, he noticed that the tires had another week left on them, if we were lucky. So we went ahead and switched out. We traded for a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, technically it is a "crossover SUV". I love it. It drives really nice, no different than the car really, and it has all the same features: power seats, six disc cd changer, auto stick, etc. Plus some new ones: memory seats, dual temperature controlls, an automatic (opening and closing) hatch, and my favorite of all, moveable foot pedals. The only thing I really miss is the automatic starter, but I've asked for that for Christmas. It has six bucket seats that all fold down seperately to be flat. Its great.
We have been working on Lillian's room a lot, changing it from just a guest room with a Red and Tan motif to a guest room/Lilly's room with a hot pink and orange motif. Richard has changed lots of the art on the walls and put up a set of fantastic mirrors. I just finished making some new curtains for the windows.
We are excited to have Richard's parents come down for Thanksgiving. It will be nice to entertain again, let alone at a holiday.
I got told on Wednesday that I am being let go from my job because they have decided after four months of working part time that they really don't want someone working part time. So its back to mac n cheese every night. lol. Not that that bothers me really. It was just a surprise at this time that we wern't really planning on. Oh well, it will all work out somehow.
I have put pictures of LIlly's room and the new car and even Great Wolf I think on our picture site, at http://picasaweb.google.com/StaceyBrill.